FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Dr. Acula]

I forgot one more thing I wanted to mention in light of the incident they were talking about over on the CCIW board...I was happy to see what appeared to be very good sportmanship in Tiffin.  Other than Fechko's aforementioned unsportsmanlike flag I don't think there was anything else of note.  And when Mount was taking a knee there were no cheap shots exchanged.  Handshakes and half hugs between them actually.  It was good to see the mutual respect shown after a big game.

[Ric]

I realize that the shovel-fumble was a terrible call, but did anyone else notice LK run right onto the field to argue with the refs about it?  I have to feel like if that was an AD from any other college that would be a 15 yarder..

I didn't see LK go out on the field. I don't believe LK was even on the field. The person I think you think was LK was not.

As for the call on the field, it would be nice if the OAC would admit it was a blown call, but I will be surprised if that happens because I don't think the OAC, its commissioner or the head of officials, has the guts to do that.

[MUC80]

From ESPN looking at 10 things learned from Redskins/Chargers game:
9.Garcon was a beast all day and finished with seven catches for 172 yards. His blocking was good, but his hands were fantastic and he made plays downfield for a change. He made another one-handed grab while covered by corner Derek Cox and then caught a pass behind him while going to the ground on a dig route. Griffin has two targets that he can trust to catch the ball as long as it's near them: Garcon and Reed. No one has been more frustrated the past several weeks than Garcon. But nobody plays harder all game than this guy.

I told my nephew when PG got drafted that it wasn't his big catches and speed (almost all WRs have that) - it was his blocking and drive on EVERY PLAY that made him stand out and worth a shot.

This morning on either the NFL channel or ESPN Sportscenter (I forget which), when they were showing Pierre's one-handed grab from yesterday's game, one commentator said "Pierre Garcon went to Mount Union. They had a big game yesterday". Commentator 2: "Did they win?" Commentator 3: "Yes... they always win." I love it!

[Knightstalker]

Greetings to all OAC/Mount brethren!

Nice to see Mount get the win this past Saturday.  I was at an event all day, and didn't hear/read anything until later that night.  It reminds me a bit of the Franklin game, where Mount was on the verge of completely destroying a team in the first half, but had the momentum switch dramatically in the second half.  Football is the craziest momentum shifting sport I have ever seen!

Jr.'s football "career" ended on Friday night with a win against Hoover's rival.  To say the least, it was the season from hell.  He suffered a concussion in week #3, and that kept him out two weeks.  Once he came back he never really regained his starting spot.  It was tough for a kid who had started since his sophomore year.  I am acting like one of those bitter parents, but Jr. just never connected with his head coach, and it reflected in his attitude this last year.  I told him repeatedly that we don't get to pick our coaches/bosses/relatives, and that just wait until he has to work for an a-hole.   

However, on to bigger and better things.  Jr. has applied for an Army ROTC scholarship, as he has decided he wants to have a career in the Army.  We are now waiting on the first board to meet to see if he made it in the first group.  I think it will be good for him, but as a parent you still have some reservations if he ends up in "harms way" at some point.

Now that the high school football season is over for Jr., I am ready to attend the remaining Mount games as a fan.  I am definitely going to try to make the JCU game, so possibly Skunk & I can run into some of you at the game. 

Keep on keeping on!   

Good luck to your son and I hope he gets accepted into ROTC.  The Military will prepare him for the rest of his life better than anything else, in my stupid opinion.  I congratulate him on desiring to be part of the most admirable 1% of the population.  It speaks a lot of him and of his upbringing, you obviously did a good job.

[formerd3db]

skunks_sidekick:

Sorry to hear that Jr.'s season turned out as it did.  As you have mentioned, that is always tough not only for our sons (or daughters) but for us as the parents as well; we've all been through it someway or another, either personally and/or with our sons or daughters.  I didn't take your post as being "a bitter parent" at all, but rather you simply stating just what the situation was and voicing your disappointment for Jr., like we all would do.  The only thing I could add, although "I'm talking to the choir here" since you already know this, is that by taking the "high road" as you and he have done is the right thing to do and he will be better for it. 

Obviously, life throws us many tough situations and disappointments and a situation like this will help him for other such challenges in life in the future.  I would just encourage you to encourage him (as I'm sure you are and already have done) to focus on and remember the positives and the good memories he had in his football career.  Time will help soften the disappointment of this season and someday it won't matter in reality.  It reminds me of the quote, which I just saw yesterday for 11/03/13 on my daily small flip calendar with the quotation for the day that I have on the bathroom counter and read first thing in the morning after showering and getting ready for each day.  It is by Tony Dungy and one that he used in talking to his players when he was coach of the Indianapolis Colts.  It reads as follows..."Guys, please keep this in mind:  football is a temporary job.  We are going to do everything we can to win, but we're not going to ruin the rest of our lives over football." 

I know that for me, as I'm sure it was for you, your teammates and, of course, Jr., that football at the time he/we all played in high school and college was the most (or at least one of the most) important things in our lives and there is nothing wrong with that.  Yet, he will move on to bigger and better things.  Anyway, thanks for sharing your Jr.'s story with us and I wish him all the best in his future endeavors and if that also includes the Army, a very big thank you for serving us.  Keep us posted.

Best,
formerd3db 

[Blutarsky]

Skunks:  PM me if you want/need to discuss ROTC.....our son was in the first class to graduate from UMU in the ROTC program (2010).  He is returning from Afghanistan in about two weeks--his second deployment since graduating from Mount.......just what you wanted to hear. 

[amonachino]

after watching the fumble/shuffle pass again, WOW, what was the  line judge not looking at.  two calls, he's down, incomplete pass.  fumble does not make the bandstand top ten.  teams make mistakes and they can cost a team a victory.  that is why you try to keep them down.  by keeping them down you try to keep the refs. out of the equation to making an incorrect call that can cost you a victory.  because in the end you have 60 minutes to beat the other team even if the refs. make a very incorrect call.  mount did that. 

[SaintsFAN]

Greetings to all OAC/Mount brethren!

Nice to see Mount get the win this past Saturday.  I was at an event all day, and didn't hear/read anything until later that night.  It reminds me a bit of the Franklin game, where Mount was on the verge of completely destroying a team in the first half, but had the momentum switch dramatically in the second half.  Football is the craziest momentum shifting sport I have ever seen!

Jr.'s football "career" ended on Friday night with a win against Hoover's rival.  To say the least, it was the season from hell.  He suffered a concussion in week #3, and that kept him out two weeks.  Once he came back he never really regained his starting spot.  It was tough for a kid who had started since his sophomore year.  I am acting like one of those bitter parents, but Jr. just never connected with his head coach, and it reflected in his attitude this last year.  I told him repeatedly that we don't get to pick our coaches/bosses/relatives, and that just wait until he has to work for an a-hole.   

However, on to bigger and better things.  Jr. has applied for an Army ROTC scholarship, as he has decided he wants to have a career in the Army.  We are now waiting on the first board to meet to see if he made it in the first group.  I think it will be good for him, but as a parent you still have some reservations if he ends up in "harms way" at some point.

Now that the high school football season is over for Jr., I am ready to attend the remaining Mount games as a fan.  I am definitely going to try to make the JCU game, so possibly Skunk & I can run into some of you at the game. 

Keep on keeping on!   

Sidekick:  A couple thoughts on your post.

1.  Crazy momentum swing in an understatement.   Mount dominates the 1st half.   Early 3rd quarter sees a sure-fire pick-6 that is dropped Chambers, then a dumb penalty on 3rd & 17 against Fetchko giving Heidi a 1st down and capped by the shuffle pass call.   In a matter of seconds, at least it seemed that way, Mount goes from in complete control to a dog fight.

2.  I'm sure having an A-hole as a Dad has prepared him well for real life.
3.  Congrats and good luck to Jr.

HA HA!  Touche HSC......touché!   

What HSCOACH said..

Congrats to Jr on sticking it out. Sometimes what players get out of playing football is not manifested right away through wins on the field. That's a really awesome career choice. Maybe JK is best to talk to about it?

See you guys in a few weeks.

[Dr. Acula]

^^^ First thing I thought was "JK would like that choice."  Didn't he actually work at a university running their ROTC program at some point?  I seem to remember him being on campus(es) involved with ROTC, but I could be misremembering. 

[Dr. Acula]

I listened to the podcast over lunch to hear what Pat and Keith had to say about the big games.  Pat mentioned that in the first half he thought Mount's WRs looked average for DIII, but by the end of the game he upgraded them to average for Mount.  He also made a good point in that none of them require a double team which is unusual for Mount recently.  I noticed in the Ott game and again Berg where Burke had time, but no one was getting open.  The odd thing is that all of them have, on occasion, gotten deep and made big plays.  It's just that none of them are burners that just take off and outrun the DB and force safety help like a Garcon/Shorts/Collins type.

The other intriguing thing was their discussion of the OAC tiebreaker in the event of a 3 way tie at 9-1.  The other 7 coaches vote for who gets the Pool A.  Pat brought up that they should vote in the least worthy (according to the selection criteria) in an attempt to make sure you get 2, possibly 3 teams in.

They talk about the Berg/Mount game first and I'd definitely recommend giving it a listen.  Well worth the 10-15 minutes (or in my case the hour I ended up listening!).

[skunks_sidekick]

Thanks for all the kind words!

Yah.....Blutarsky.......ARRGGH!  Exactly what I didn't want to hear, but certainly realize that is what he is signing up for (provided he makes it through the program).

Interesting note....when talking to the ROTC guy at George Mason, I asked him what was the #1 reason kids didn't make it in the ROTC program.  Answer.....they just hate getting up that early in the morning for PT.  Jr. isn't the greatest early riser (to put it mildly), so that will be a challenge for him.  He is passionate about all things military and global, so I think he is making a great decision.  I believe JK was a recruiter at one point, and possibly even the POMS at a college down south somewhere.  I think he then opted out of the military and is doing something else these days.  Don't quote me on that though.

On to all things OAC football.  It will be very interesting to see how the JCU/Berg game shakes out.  I am thinking it could be a slugfest, with a last man standing kind of feel.  If JCU does roll them, then I will say......."UH OH"!  Here comes a Mount/JCU classic.

[Knightstalker]

Unfortunately what has happened with Blutarsky' son will keep happening until more than one percent of the population start enlisting.  Has Skunk Jr looking into West Point?  Does he have the grades?  If he is interested in the Army you may want to contact your congressman and see what needs to be done for him to get an appointment.  Just a suggestion.

[skunks_sidekick]

Unfortunately what has happened with Blutarsky' son will keep happening until more than one percent of the population start enlisting.  Has Skunk Jr looking into West Point?  Does he have the grades?  If he is interested in the Army you may want to contact your congressman and see what needs to be done for him to get an appointment.  Just a suggestion.

He would be a marginal candidate to get accepted to West Point.  He has a 3.6 GPA, and scored a 24 on his ACT.  Not bad at all, but not earth-shattering.  Plus, he wants to have as much of a traditional college experience as possible while still getting his ROTC training/education.  (Translation.....he wants to hang-out and do party college things while still meeting his ROTC obligations).   

[Knightstalker]

Unfortunately what has happened with Blutarsky' son will keep happening until more than one percent of the population start enlisting.  Has Skunk Jr looking into West Point?  Does he have the grades?  If he is interested in the Army you may want to contact your congressman and see what needs to be done for him to get an appointment.  Just a suggestion.

He would be a marginal candidate to get accepted to West Point.  He has a 3.6 GPA, and scored a 24 on his ACT.  Not bad at all, but not earth-shattering.  Plus, he wants to have as much of a traditional college experience as possible while still getting his ROTC training/education.  (Translation.....he wants to hang-out and do party college things while still meeting his ROTC obligations).   

AKA typical teenager.   

[Ereraider]

 It was LK on the field talking with the refs.